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Rudolf Barth
Unteroffizier Rudolf Barth is a Heer non-commissioned officer who is a P.O.W of the Americans. He is been held in an internment camp when he decides to help the Americans. He is given the nickname "Tiger" and told never to use his real name. Barth was born and raised in Mannheim and before the war he worked in the circus looking after two tigers and a lion. After that he worked in a Panzer factory in Hamburg before joining the Heer in 1941 as part of the 24th Infantry. He had served time in prison twice, firstly in 1936 in Düsseldorf for theft. And again in 1942 in Norway for insubordination. He was captured by an American patrol whilst he was visiting a woman, who he claims was lonely. He joins the Americans as he is cynical and is just happy to work for the winning side. When the Americans are informed that the German General Jaeger wants to make contact so his entire 4th Korps can surrender, they decide to send Maurer, Lieutenant Rennick, and Barth to negotiate the surrender. Maurer is assigned the related task of locating the 11th Panzer Corps, which might oppose the wholesale defection. They all parachute out of the same plane into Germany, then split up. In the safe house in the ruins of the heavily-bombed Mannheim, "Tiger" and Rennick have learned that General Jaeger who they were to contact was supposedly injured, but the hospital where he has been taken is under SS guard; without him, the other German officers cannot and will not surrender to the Allies. Their radio is knocked out, so "Happy", "Tiger", and Rennick are forced to leave the safe house and try to find a way back to the American lines. "Tiger" takes them to his sister in-laws house, and his young nephew tells him she isn't home yet, so "Tiger" tells him they will wait inside. The young boy overhears the men talking and realises that Rennick is an American and that his Uncle and "Happy" are traitors. He makes a run to inform on them and manages to get away from his chasing uncle and the others, where he runs into a Panzer officer and his men and tells them what is going on. The men flee and manage to avoid being caught. Next they try to swim across the heavily defended Rhine River to get to the American lines with the vital information. At the last moment, "Tiger" loses his nerve and runs away, forcing Rennick to shoot him. He and "Happy" then swim to an island in the middle of the river. When they start for the other shore, they are spotted by the German defenders. "Happy" creates a diversion, is captured and presumably executed as a deserter, but his sacrifice enables the Lieutenant to make it to safety, with a changed attitude about some Germans. Awards *Iron Cross 1st Class *Eastern Front Medal *Infantry Assault Badge Notes *He is play by Hans Christian Blech. *He describes where he got his awards: The Iron Cross he got in Norway, the Infantry Assault Badge he got in France and the Eastern Front Medal he got in Russia. The problem is, he didn't sign up to the Heer until 1941. The fighting in Norway and France was over by then, so it's unlikely he would have won those medals there. Also the Eastern Front Medal he wears in in fact an Iron Cross 2nd Class ribbon. Gallery barth.png Barth, Rudolf Barth, Rudolf Barth, Rudolf Barth, Rudolf Barth, Rudolf Barth, Rudolf Barth, Rudolf Barth, Rudolf Barth, Rudolf Barth, Rudolf Barth, Rudolf Barth, Rudolf Barth, Rudolf